The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-23
MAKEUP OF CONGRESS.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE
LOWER HOUSE.
The Oldest and Youngest Members
Lawyers Many, Soldiers Few-Some
Life Sketches.
From the Neto YORK Times.


Life Sketches.
From the Neic YORK. Times.
WASHINGTON, Dec. iS.-Three hundred
and thirty-three men were entitled to be
sworn on Monday, Dec 8, as Representa-
tives and Delegates in the Fiftieth Congress.
The 325 Representatives will vote to make
laws, and the Delegates representing the
Territories, will have the privilege of be-
longing to committees and of voting there,
but no greater privilege in the House than
that of speaking when they are permitted to
do so by the chairman of committees or the
kindn IS of the Speaker The election of
1876 members of the Forty-ninth Congress to
this body-reduced to 1876 by the death of
one member since his election-leaves l3S
new men to be accounted for in making an
analytical sketch of the composition of the
assembly that is to undertake the task of
giving force to the Presidents recommended
fions for the reduction of taxes. To look at
the House is like its predecessor; some
cid men, q large number of bald-headed
men, few men with one leg EACH several
men who have each but one arm, a supply
of red-headed men unprecedentedly large,
long boards and short boards, fat thin,
short and tall men, but not one black man.
The oldest member of the House is Judge
William d. Kelley, of Pennsylvania. He
was born in 1914. Although he is 70 he Is
not the oldest looking man in the House, or
the least active He was AZ when he entered
Congress, in 1861, and he has been MEM
Der constantly since then, period of TWEEN
ty-six wears. -Four years before he became
a member of the House was born the young
est member sworn in a week ago The
Youngest member is Benjamin T. Shively,
of the Thirteenth Indiana District. Born
in 1867, he is only trife under 81 years of
age but he is tall, strong and vigorous, and
has already served part Of a term in Con-
greSs. Mr.. Ralph Plumb, of She Eighth IL
linois District is an old member. He was
born in 1916, the same year in which Mr..
Gay, of Louisiana first saw light. There Is
quite a batch of members too modest
or too sensitive to furnish their ages,
the last including Mr.. Milli1en of Maine,
Gen. Hooker of Mississippi, aud Mr.. Heard
and Mr. Hutton of Missouri, Mr.. Sowden of
Pennsylvania, and Mr.. r. Q. Mills of Texas.
Some of these gentlemen are in good pre-
servation, and upon the edge of that period
when men are not inclined to gratuitously
lead people to consider them older than they
really are. Mr., Vandever of California,
who was torn in 1917, was a member of
Congress from 1889 until the breaking out
of the wa: of the rebellion. He and Mr.
Holman o. 'uUts', nho was in the Thirty
sixth Congress in 1860-'61, saw service be-
fore Mr.. Kelley, but Mr. Vandever has not
returned until now and Mr.. Holmans SER
vice hes not been continuous. Mr.. Randall
did not make his first appearance as a MEM
Der until 1868, four years later than Mr..
Holman, but he has begun his thirteenth
consecutive term. standing next in length
of service to Mr.. Kelley.
As usual the House membership is made
up practically of men of one profession.
There are PIG lawyers who are Representa-
GN-A. e IL NIL
gates from the Territories five are lawyers.
Several of the States have delegations COM
posed entirely of them Mississippi has
seven lawyer members; South Carolina has
z; Texas has 10; Vermont 2, and West Vir-
ginia 4. The farmers come next in numer
zeal strength. They count IL, and the
farmers and planters together are only II.
The manufacturers are IL in number, but
there are two iron makers who could prop
erly be included in that classification. The
merchants follow the manufacturers. There
are Is of them. Then come the bankers, 10
in number, and there is one
broker. There are nine editors and
one journalist. In emergencies
requiring prompt medical skill and advice,
some cf the six physicians ought to be avail
able, although some of them have paid more
attention in late years to politics than they
have TO medicine or surgery. Eight mem
bers and one Delegate call themselves
editors" while one who is also an editor
puts himself down as a journalist There
are theree ministers, four men who appear
to have been lifelong politicians without
professions, and TWO otficehoders Two
members who are wealthy and i'll seveaal
lines of business may be called promoters
of enterprises" Then there are two drug
g1sts or pharmacists, a stenographer, rail-
road President surveyor, a stock raiser, a
dry goods man, an agrlcult1rist, one
brewer, one grocer, one cooper, one
capitalist, and nine members who APP
pear to be without former profession or oc-
cupation.
A large proportion of the members have
been equipped for the professions and for
public lfe by colleg S. One hundred and
seventy-eight members were educated in
colleges or universities of greater or less de-
gree of prominence. California, Colorado,
Oregon. have no college men in their dele
cations in the House. Maryland has five
college men out of a total Of six, Mississippi
five out OF seven, New Jersey one out of
seven, New York eight out OF thirty-four
Ohio four out of twenty-one, South Caro-
lima six out of seven, three of them Har
ward gra1uates), Texas two out of
eleven. Alabama has five college
men, two who put themselves down as
f'self educated" and one West Point gradu
ate-Gen. Wheeler, who is, by the way, the
only man in the House who was educated at
the Military Academy. The public and
private schools, academies and seminaries
educated l46 representatives and 3 dele
gates. McKenna, of California, says he had
mo education" Cheadle, of Indiana re-
ports that he had "a good English educa-
tion," but whether in or out of school is not
mentioned. Finley, of Kentucky, reports
that he began without education like
most of his associates, who did not think of
putting so funny line in their autobio-
graphies. O'Donnell. of Michigan, an edi-
tor, had mo educational advantages"
Barry, of Mississippi, says that
his education was fundamental"
Butler, of Tennessee, was ''self-edu-
cated,' while his colleague Houk of the
same State got all his tuition in ''old field
schools Martin of Texas, the successor of
Senator Reagan, whose reputation was
established when he blew out the gas, will
astonish no one who learns from the Con
greSslonal Directory that he had "a limited
education" Yost of Virginia, who is the
sole Journalist" as distinguished from the
editors" says he had "a primary educa-
tion," his preparation for Congress having
been mainly in the newspaper Office The
Naval Academy furnishes one member
Ford of Michigan. Massachusetts, has in
her delegation four men who acknowledge
Harvard as their Alma Mater and two Am
herst men.
The proportion of soldiers who fought in